7 Paths to Managerial Leadership

1

Managers and Their Direct Reports: A Dynamic Relationship

You may remember your first role as a manager of others, as someone who gets work done through the efforts of other people. You were probably promoted because of your excellence as an individual contributor—you got your work done! And perhaps upper management thought you had an above-average “feel” for working with others. However, managing others is more than getting along; it involves deciding who can do the work, who needs coaching on specific assignments, who can be left alone to accomplish a task, and who needs role development. All managers carry this managerial leadership accountability.

According to the renowned organizational scientist Elliott Jaques, “managerial teamworking ...